What I am learning through Mentor training

 

Mentor...

 

Mentoring...

 

What do these words bring to mind?

Does someones face pop in your thoughts?

She has probably mentored you,

or is most likely someone you are, or who needs you to mentor her.

 

If you are like me, you feel inadequate.

...under equipped

...pressed for time

....overcome with your own failures to believe you can be used as a

 mentor.

you may not even be sure what a mentor is.

 

I have learned so much more than I already thought I knew about

mentoring

 

Through this six week study I hope to be able to lay aside these lies of the enemy and gain

 simple and effective truths and strategies for mentoring while learning how to apply them to my mentoring relationships with friends and family.

 

Like for example...

What to do if someone says, you don't know what it is like, because you never walked

 in their shoes.

Or how to avoid sounding preachy or like Miss fix-it-all.

 

I can't wait now for the next time a friend or one of my children ask for help,

instead of dreading a rerun of...you just do not understand!

 

If this intrigues you you can join in...it is not to late.

We are only in the second week and our leader Elisa is very organized

with the homework and resources.

 

If I can do it with a newborn to take care of, I am sure any one else 

can also join this study and benefit from it.

 

M2B Mentoring Training

 

 

 

 



Renewing our Wedding Vows Tomorrow

It's official, we have been married long enough to actually not think renewing our vows is a little abrupt...
I know, time flies when your heart is a flutter, and always melting like butter :-)...
I spin a good story, don't I? In all sincerity, we have had our share of up and downs in these two years, but tomorrow will definitely be one of the best ups.
We actually are coming right off the heels of an anniversary weekend, our second! So the feelings and sentiment are still fresh.

We we'll be sharing the moment with several other like minded romantic folks such as ourselves. I was able to sneak a peek at the stage setup the other night...what a sight!..

White gauzy tulle, white magnolias, hazy and dreamy, the stuff romance novels are made of! I am nervous and excited all rolled together, did I mention I will be singing right before the ceremony? Please keep us in your prayers tomorrow!

I promise to post an update on the event...

Grace and Peace,
Niky

Announcing.....

 

"BLOOMING WOMAN OF GRACE"

(meaning of her name)

December 15th

1:19 am

8.12 lbs

21 in.

blue eyes

strawberry blond hair

fair skin

deeply loved

 

 

(Birth Story to Follow Soon.....)

No one can truly prepare you for the way you fall in love with your child after
 they are born.
It starts in the womb.
It progresses as you begin to understand their personality by
their movements.
As a mom I have been able to perceive how they are even going
 to look.
I knew Chloe was going to be blue eyed and blond.
I could see her in my minds eye.
I also knew she was going to be peaceful, with a fighter side.
I knew this by the way she would kick manically if I laid on her the wrong way,
 then go right back to sleep when I got it right.

We have all fallen in love with Chloe.
She has such a soft way about her.
I look at her and I melt.
At two weeks she popped her eyes open while nursing stared at me with love
 in her eyes, cooed and smiled and then closed her eyes and resumed nursing.
AAAAhhhh. .....
PAYDAY!
I don't care if it is biweekly!
Priceless.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top 10 of 2012

 

 

I began this blog, just three short months

 ago and have been blessed with so many new blogger relationships.

 

With the New Year upon us I would like to take some time to

reflect on the most visited posts of the year.

 

10.   Zoe, Faith, and Fall Festival Fun

 

9.  Love in Action and Happy tears

 

8.  Not my usual Tuesday Post

 

7.  Spiritual Leader Progress

 

6.  A Good Marriage

 

5.  10 Ways to Find Miracles In Your Lives

 

4.  38 Weeks and A Miracle

 

3.  35 Weeks

 

2.  Miraculous

 

and the number 1 visited post was.....

 

1.   34 Weeks

 

God Bless everyone this New Year

. I thank you for all your kind words of encouragement

 and blessed friendship.

 

Blessings and Miracles,

 

Nicole

 

 

Response to our past is key to our future.

A Prodigal, a reformed harlot, and a healed lunatic.

What do they have in common?

Where is the common thread that would seemingly weave these
 three together?

How do their lives compare to each other?

Christmas 2013

It all began with a wake up call to eat from our newest member, Chloe around 5 am.

I began the no bake cookies that I had planned on filling the stockings with.

My two year old came out of her room with the sun wiping her eyes and wanting a cookie. She had been preceded by her daddy about ten min. before with Chloe in tow. They were both now sleeping as the light began to stream in through the window.

 

I could hear the song of the birds outside our window. Such a sweet song they are singing this morning! Like they know today  is special.

I continued to do last minute things to be ready when the troops awoke.

I love this time of day, when all is still and quiet. A time to just ..Be Still and Know That He is God.
We then woke up everyone and Mike made pancakes for everyone.
We read the Christmas Story, and began to sort the gifts out by name.
We opened from youngest to oldest. Then it was time to start on the ham and potatoes.
We sat down to eat around three.
We had an Advent box to open full of crafts and ornaments and devotions.
We sang Christmas songs...mostly of of Amy Grant's Christmas album of yesterday.
We also constructed the manger scene as we acted out the story .

We then made Jesus cupcakes and sang The Birthday song to Him, when my little one exclaimed how much she loved Christmas.
We all smiled at her, as we silently agreed.

I link my posts to these lovely places:
The Better Mom (Mondays)
Growing Home (Tuesdays)
Time-Warp Wife (Tuesdays)
Deep Roots at Home (Wednsdays)
Women Living Well (Wednsdays)
Our Simple Country Life (Thursdays)

38 weeks and A Miracle

BEST QUOTES OF THE WEEK

 

"Is she GREAT WITH CHILD or GREAT with child?"( a man at the scrooge play)....Monday nite
 ...although Sunday; it was two teens at Walmart gasping.." Oh my God is that real?" as I was passing them in an aisle shopping...I was so tempted to say..."See what happens when you have sex!"
 

" I like your belly.."( a young friend around 17)

 

BEST HOLIDAY MOMENTS

Zoe singing Twinkle Twinkle Star at sight of tree with star topper.

and then Mary Did You Know as she passed the nativity.

I can't wait to take her through a drive thru nativity.

The Scrooge play....Zoe begged to give one of the characters a hug after the play..(.my feet were swollen at the end of play.) Third time this has happened to me during this trimester.

 

Zoe doesn't like Santa but will hug the Grim Reaper! The black monster is what she called him.... we finally deciphered out of her garbled toddler language...she also high fived him twice and gave him a hug..... no pictures though....She said she wasn't scared and didn't want to be. Her name does mean LIFE, maybe she thought the Death Angel needed to lighten up a little...or that we have taught her fake and real and the difference...

or that just as a child we do not need to fear the unknown and scary...she has inspired me! I will remember her bravery when labor approaches!

 

 MOST CHALLENGING MOMENT

 

I had to speak to my three oldest about helping out more often. They became over emotional when I told them I am limiting there technology time!

  I am already working on my resolution list for 2013...any one else doing this yet?

 

PROJECTS TO DO YET

Big Sister Kit for Zoe

Belly cast

Mobile made or Tulle Pom Poms

Prints framed and hung

shopping finished

christmas cards sent (delegating)

birth prayers written

bags finished packing

cosleeper set up

freezer food made
purchase build a bear together

 

MY BIRTH PLAN

I want the labor room to be a place where his Spirit is felt....One where the Temple of His presence abides....I want all who step in the room to know that God is with us!

 

MIRACLES THIS WEEK

Wednesday nite I sang a song..."What a Savior" by Laura Story...I know God was with me because I had a lot more lung capacity than I should have had...

 

My sister in laws baby girl who had a hole in her heart...well according to the latest ultrasound there is no sign of a hole anymore! She is healed in Jesus name!

Thursday night...My kids held their annual Christmas play.My Dad was able to make it due to a cancellation appt. 

Please keep the family of the man killed instantly in a motorcycle accident outside of the play in your prayers. My daughter Jordyn and my niece Abby were among many other witnesses who also need a strong dose of His comfort.

It is called the cycle of life for a reason.

 

 The birth of baby girl is imminent. My midwife wants to speed things up for us..Thank God! We had a long pause in low heartbeat on the baby monitor which prompted an emergency ultrasound.... 12 frames of 140 beats a minute when they are looking for 150 beats is enough to warrant this apparently.

 She finally woke up after I leaned on the side she was sleeping on. and her heart went up to normal, but it was scheduled and my midwife kept it so at least we could see her move and get a weight guess. She is anywhere from 8.8 to 9.8 lbs!

 I was shocked! No... I am not gestational. diabetic...no I do not have big babies normally..my two biggest were 8.3lbs.

 

After two miscarriages though I am just amazed at the healthiness! I found the fear faded away quickly to gratitude!

 

If I had not had the play to go to tonite and a couple other loose ends to wrap up...I would have allowed the midwife to strip the cervix today! So official plans are for this Tuesday at 3:30 pm. Dec. 18th..... God willing.   I will be taking a short break from blogging but hopefully resuming in time to post New Years resolutions and new baby pics!

 I have so many plans for this blog, but will be taking those plans to God in prayer and hoping for His still small voice to guide me!

I began this post at the beginning of the week on Monday the 10th.
On Friday night the 14th, my water broke.
On Saturday early morning, 1:19 am, Chloe Grace came 9 days early to be with us for Christmas!

 

8lbs. 12oz.

21 in. long

 

 

 

Linking with....
The Better Mom (Mondays)
Growing Home (Tuesdays)
Time-Warp Wife (Tuesdays)
Deep Roots at Home (Wednesdays)
Women Living Well (Wednesdays)
Our Simple Country Life (Thursdays